Dr. Eck received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Catholic University of America in Biomedical Engineering, followed by a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University. Following this he worked as a research engineer conducting spine biomechanics research. He then attended medical school at University of Health Sciences. He is board eligible in orthopaedic surgery.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Spondylolisthesis cannot be completely prevented. Certain
activities such as gymnastics, weight-lifting and football are known to increase
the stress on the
vertebrae and increase the risk of developing spondylolisthesis.
What are the complications of spondylolisthesis?
Complications of spondylolisthesis include chronic pain
in the lower back or
legs, as well as numbness, tingling or weakness in the legs. Severe compression
of the nerve can cause problems with bowel or bladder control, but this is very
uncommon.
What is the outlook for spondylolisthesis?
The outlook for patients with spondylolisthesis is good.
In most cases patients respond well to a conservative treatment plan. For those
with continued severe symptoms, surgery can help alleviate the leg symptoms by
creating more space for the nerve roots. The back pain can be helped through a
lumbar fusion.
Spondylolisthesis At A Glance
Spondylolisthesis is a forward or backward slippage of one vertebra on an
adjacent vertebra.
Causes of spondylolisthesis include trauma, degenerative, tumor, and birth
defects.
Symptoms of spondylolisthesis include lower back or leg
pain, hamstring
tightness, and numbness and tingling in the legs.
Most people with spondylolisthesis can be treated conservatively, without
the need for surgery.
Patients who fail to improve with conservative treatment may be a candidate
for surgery.
There are many causes of back pain. Pain in the low back can relate to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area.
Lumbar stenosis can be caused by degenerative arthritis (the most common cause), tumor, infection, or metabolic disorders (Paget's disease of the bone). Symptoms include low back pain, weakness, pain, numbness, and loss of sensation in the legs. Other conditions may cause similar symptoms of lumbar stenosis, including diabetic neuropathy, claudication, and peripheral vascular disease. Diagnosis, is a medical history and imaging studies. Lumbar stenosis may be treated with medication or surgery.
Degenerative disc disease makes the disc more susceptible to herniation (rupture) which can lead to localized or radiating pain. The pain from degenerative disc or joint disease of the spine is usually treated conservatively with intermittent heat, rest, rehabilitative exercises and medications to relieve pain, muscle spasm and inflammation.
Pain management and treatment can be simple or complex, according to its cause. There are two basic types of pain, nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain. Some causes of neuropathic pain includes: complex regional pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. There are a variety of methods to treat chronic pain, which are dependant on the type of pain experienced.
Chronic pain is pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over a long period of time. In contrast to acute pain that arises suddenly in response to a specific injury and is usually treatable, chronic pain persists over time and is often resistant to medical treatments.
Arthritis RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the